WASHINGTON — More than 90,000 Colorado veterans could see delays in pension and education checks on Nov. 1 if the federal government doesn't reopen in the next few weeks — because the cash is not there without additional appropriations from Congress.

Medical services to veterans have not been crimped by the partial federal government shutdown because the costs — about $650 million a year to Coloradans alone — have been prepaid.

But of Colorado's 395,613 veterans, about 91,000 are receiving some sort of additional government help, including a pension check or reimbursement for higher education, according to 2011 data.

"Most of us are disabled and most of us receive our check, and, just like anyone else, if you're working, you prepare your budget to the money coming in," said Paul Jackson, who served in the Korean and Vietnam wars and is now responsible for the day-to-day operations for the Disabled American Veterans in Colorado.

The Department of Veterans Affairs furloughed 7,000 staffers across the country Tuesday because of the shutdown, according to The Federal Times.

Most staffers working in the public-contact offices, including in Denver, have been sent home.

The DAV said that on Wednesday it will offer a makeshift center to take applications for new claims from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at its office at 1485 Holland St. in Lakewood.

Advertisement

There are usually about 2,000 new claims a month from Colorado.

"Not only am I frustrated with the whole shutdown, the fact that people who are involved in the shutdown continue to get paid and the general American public is suffering is terrible," said Brian Austin, Denver-based national area supervisor for the DAV. "It just doesn't make sense to me."

Members of the House Veterans Affairs Committee — including Rep. Mike Coffman — are so worried about the harmful effects on veterans, they are bringing VA Secretary Eric Shinseki to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to press him for answers.

US President Barack Obama (R) speaks during a press conference at the White House in Washington, DC, as Speaker of the House John Boehner (L) speaks at the US Capitol, October 8, 2013, in response to Obama's remarks, as the crisis over a US government shutdown and debt ceiling standoff deepens on the 8th day of the shutdown. (Saul Loeb, Getty )

Staffers on the veterans committee say the most worrisome unknown is whether the Nov. 1 deposits will be delayed if the government remains partially shuttered for another week or two.

The money will not be in the bank to make the payments. Colorado veterans receive more than $1 billion a year in compensation and pension benefits and another $284 million in education reimbursements.

"As a combat veteran, I am deeply concerned with the ability of the VA to continue to operate effectively going forward," said Coffman, R-Aurora. "On Wednesday, I'll be attending a hearing ... to be briefed on what services are being disrupted and what could lie ahead if the shutdown continues."

Ralph Bozella, a Vietnam veteran and chair of the American Legion Veterans Affairs Commission, said his organization lobbied to get the medical services prepaid so veterans weren't subject to the partisan whims of Congress.

"Through the inability of Congress to act, we are going to need advanced appropriations for all veterans benefits," he said. "So that way, at least you won't be balancing the budget disagreements on the backs of veterans. How many of these veterans have (post-traumatic stress disorder)? This is just adding to the stress."

Missy Franklin, Jenny Simpson, Adeline Gray and three other Colorado women could be big players at the 2016 Rio OlympicsWhen people ask Missy Franklin for her thoughts about the Summer Olympics that will begin a year from Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro, she hangs a warning label on her answer.